Self-filling fountain-pen.



Nn. 685,258. Patented Oct. 29, |90I. R. CONKLIN.

SELF FILLING FOUNTAIN PEN.

(Application hd July 12, 1901.) (Ilo lodal.)

Witwe/.awo Snygntoz ttozm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROY-OONKLIN, O E TOLEDO, Onto.

SELF-FILLING FOUNTAIN-PEN.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 685,258, dated October 29, 1901. Application fled duly 12, 1901.l Serial No. 67,9 82, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROY CONKLTN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Fillin g Fountain-Pens; and Ido declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fountain-pens; and its objects are, iirst, to provide improved means for filling the pen without opening it and for locking said filling device against accidental actuation, and, second, to provide an improved overflow-chamber for catching the surplus ink when th'e feed is too rapid. I am aware that these features are not broadly new with me, and my present invention relates` entirely to certain improvements in the details of construction by which certain practical difficulties are overcome.

My invention has to do especially with that class of self-lling pens in which an elastic reservoir is used to hold the ink and also serve as the means for causing a fresh supply of ink to enter it by compressing it before dipping the feed end into a body of ink and then permitting it to expand to its normal dimension. Such a pen is shown in United States Patent to Oliphant, No. 445,360. The reservoir is usually a long cylindrical rubber tube closed at one end and connected at the other end with the pen-section and feed-bar by a fluid-tight joint. The means for compressing the reservoir is a bar laid along in contact with the reservoir inside the pen-handle and having a projection or rib coming out through an opening in the handle, by which the bar can be forced in against the reservoir. In order to look and release this bar, I provide the projection Or rib with a slot, with which engages a ring encircling the pen-handle and rotatable thereon, the ring having a portion removed, so that when the cut-away portion registers with the projection or rib the bar can be pushed in to compress the reservoir, but when the solid portion of the ring underlies the projection or rib the bar is positively locked against movement.

Another feature of improvement is the den vice which catches any overfiow of ink from the pen-point. In order to make a free-writing pen, which will always respond when first used and require no shaking or thumping to 4produce a liow of ink, the feed-groove must be large; but this induces an overflow if the pen is held point downward for any length of time and not in constant use. To avoid the annoyance caused by drops of ink dripping off the pen, it has been proposed to use overflow-pockets formed in an enlargement of the feed-bar. time become obstructed with dried ink, and my invention aims to overcome this by making a single good-sized overIiow-chamber on the pen-section and closing it from the air by bringing it in contact with the edges of the pen. Provision is made for conveying back to the reservoir the ink which collects in the chamber.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fountain-pen embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3, Fig. 2, showing the presser-bar locked. Fig. 4 is a similar section showing said bar released. Figs. 5 and 6 show modified locking-rings. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the pen, feed-bar, and overiiow-chamber on the line 7 7, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, and Fig. 9 a longitudinal section, and Fig. l0 a top plan view of the pen-section. Fig. 1l is a side elevation, and Fig. 12 a longitudinal section, of the feed-bar.

The handle A is hollow and closed at one end, forming a chamber in which is housed the elastic ink-reservoir B, preferably a rubber tube closed at one end b and attached at its other end to the inner end of the pen-section C. A presser-bar D lies along one side of the tube B between it and the handle. The bar has a projecting rib D extending out through a slot a in the handle. The rib is slotted, preferably near its middle, and with the slot d engages a ring E, encircling the handle and rotatable thereon. The ring is retained in place by suitable means, such as a shallow groove E3 in the handle, into which the ring is sprung. At one point the ring is It is found that these pockets in IOO cutaway, and if it passes through a slot, such as is shown in Figs. l and 2, it must have a segment removed, leaving a gap e at least as wide as the thickness of the projection or rib D. Then when the ring is rotated, so as to bring this gap in line with the rib, the latter and its bar can be pressed in, as shown in Fig. 4, to compress the elastic reservoir for the purpose of refilling the pen when the bar is released. When the ring is turned, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, it locks the bar against movement either from accidental pressure or from an intentional but ignorant attempt to move it.

Instead of passing the ring through the rib it may engage a slot in the end of the rib, as shown in Fig. 5,`and in this case a ring E may be placed at each end of the rib, if desired.

Fig. 6 shows a single ring E2 with a slot c to iit the stem of such a notched rib D2 as is shown in Fig. 5, the slot having notches e2 to permit the rib to pass through when necessary.

The pen-section C has a reduced neck c, over which the end of the reservoir B is stretched, a cylindrical plug portion c', which closes the end of the handle A, and a shouldered portion c2, which abuts against the end of the handle. From one side of the pen-section extends the overflow-chamber c3, preferably integral with the pen-section and lying under and partly around the feed-bar F, but with considerable space between them. The tip of the chamber is grooved at cl to fit tightly around the under side of the tip end of the feed-bar, the chamber having small upwardly-extending lips c5 to effect a good joint. Back of these tips the edges of the chamber are grooved to fit tightly against the edges of the pen G, as shown in Fig. 7.

The feed-bar F has acylindrical stemfwith an ample lengthwise passage-way through it to carry the ink to a good-sized groove f in its tongue f2, which lies up under and in contact with the pen. The stem enters the rear portion of the overflow-chamber and wedges the shank of the pen therein, and at the point where the tongue projects from the stem suitable means, such as a groove f3 on each side of the tongue, are provided to enable the surplus ink collected in the chamber to ow back into the reservoir when the pen is inverted.

It will be observed that my overow-chamber is of ample dimensions, so that it is not liable to clog up; but any tendency to do so can be readily overcome by releasing the presser-bar, dipping the pen into an ink-well, and pumping the ink out of and into the reservoir two or three times.

By dipping the pen into water and operating the presser-bar all parts will be quickly and easily cleansed.

The overflow-chamber above described enables me to use a very free feed, the groove in the feed-bar being large enough to lead thc ink quickly to the pen-point, while any surplus is caught by the chamber, and thereby prevented from dropping off the point.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In a self-filling fountain-pen, the com bination with an elastic ink-reservoir, of a presser-bar, a slotted rib on said bar, and a rotatable locking-ring engaging with said rib.

2. In a self-filling fountain-pen, the co1nbination with an elastic reservoir, of a presserbar, a slotted rib on said bar, and a rotatable locking-ring engaging with said rib and having a cut-away portion.

3. In a self-filling fountain-pen, the com- `bination with an elastic reservoir, of a presseru bar, a slotted rib on said bar, anda rotatable locking-ring passing through said slot and having a gap adapted to permit the r-ib to pass through it.

4t. In a self-iilling fountain-pen, the conibination with a handle having a shallow groove and a longitudinal slot, of a lockingring rotatable in said groove, a presser-bar having a rib engaging with said ring, andan elastic reservoir in said handle.

5. In a fountain-pen, the combination with the pen proper, of a feed-bar grooved on its upper side, a pen-section receiving the pen and the stem of the feed-bar, and an overtlowchamberextending from the pen-section and having grooves in its upper edges to receive the edges of the pen.

6. In a fountain-pen, the combination with the pen proper, of a grooved feed-bar, and pen-section holding the pen andthe feed-bar and provided with an integral hollowed extension fitting closely at its end against the under side of the feed-bar and also having grooves fitting against the edges ofthe pen so as to form a closed overflow-chamber.

'7. In a fountain-pen, the combination with the pen-section having an extension provided with a notched tip and grooved edges, of a feed-bar having a groove in its upper side and side grooves connecting said upper groove with the extension on the pen-section, said bar fitting closelyin the notch in said eXtension.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROY CONKLIN.

Witnesses:

GEO. P. WHrrrLEsEv, EMORY Il. BOGLEY.

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